Conformable heat exchanger system and method

ABSTRACT

A method of making and operating a heat exchanger that includes introducing a first fluid into a fluid chamber of a membrane heat exchanger to change the membrane heat exchanger from a flat configuration to a non-flat configuration while the membrane heat exchanger is disposed within a chamber with the membrane heat exchanger extending from a first end to a second end of the chamber and generating a fluid flow of the first fluid within the fluid chamber of the membrane heat exchanger between first and second ends of the membrane heat exchanger, the first fluid generating heat exchange with a second fluid disposed within the chamber. The membrane heat exchanger includes sheets that form a fluid chamber.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.16/156,364, filed Oct. 10, 2018, entitled “CONFORMABLE HEAT EXCHANGERSYSTEM AND METHOD,” which is a non-provisional of and claims priority toU.S. Provisional Application No. 62/570,548, filed Oct. 10, 2017,entitled “SHAPE-SHIFTING HEAT EXCHANGERS,” each of which applications ishereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety and for allpurposes.

This application is also related to U.S. application Ser. No. 15/161,029filed May 20, 2016 having attorney docket number 0105198-007US0 entitled“Membrane Heat Exchanger System And Method” and U.S. application Ser.No. 15/161,064 filed May 20, 2016 having attorney docket number0105198-007US1 entitled “Near-isothermal compressor/expander.” Theseapplications are hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentirety and for all purposes.

BACKGROUND

Conventional heat exchangers are made from the assembly of one or morerigid tubes or channels, where one fluid flows over, around, or outsideof the tubes/channels and another fluid flows inside. The purpose ofsuch tubes/channels is to facilitate heat transfer from one fluid to theother. Common types of heat exchangers include shell-and-tube, plate,tube-fin, microchannel-fin, and pillow plate heat exchangers. In nearlyall of these common types, the physical shape and configuration ispartially or completely determined by the construction method of theheat exchanger. For example, cylinders are common for shell-and-tubeheat exchangers and boxes are common for most other types. Furthermore,the shape and size of the heat exchanger are fixed after manufacture,and cannot change during installation or operation.

Conventional fin-and-tube heat exchangers, (e.g., car radiators), arehighly constrained in geometric layout and do not fit well into confinedvolumes of arbitrary shape. The result of this is that systems which useconventional heat exchangers require such heat exchangers to bespecifically designed to accommodate physical shape requirements of thesystem. If heat exchangers were able to change in size or adapt todifferent sizes and shapes, the configurations of systems that use heatexchangers would have more design flexibility and, consequently, moreopportunities for performance improvement. Accordingly, there is a needfor flexible heat exchanger systems that provide for improved designflexibility and opportunities for performance improvement.

In various embodiments, the temperature difference AT across a heatexchanger directly equates to a loss in exergy. After accounting for theAT across a heat exchanger, the Carnot coefficients of performance forheat pumps in cooling and heating systems become:

$\begin{matrix}{{{COP}_{coolong} = \frac{T_{c} - {\Delta \; T}}{\left( {T_{h} + {\Delta \; T}} \right) - \left( {T_{c} - {\Delta \; T}} \right)}}{{COP}_{heating} = \frac{T_{h} + {\Delta \; T}}{\left( {T_{h} + {\Delta \; T}} \right) - \left( {T_{c} - {\Delta \; T}} \right)}}} & (1)\end{matrix}$

where T_(h) and T_(c) are hot and cold temperatures at either end of thesystem and ΔT is the additional temperature difference required totransfer heat to the air through a heat exchanger. However, ΔT isconstrained by the need to exchange heat at a sufficient rate; this heatflux from one fluid, through a wall, into a second fluid is a functionof the combined heat transfer due to convection in both fluids andconduction and is given by

$\begin{matrix}{Q = {{h_{1}A\; \Delta \; T_{1}\mspace{14mu} Q} = {{h_{2}A\; \Delta \; T_{2}\mspace{14mu} Q} = {\left. \frac{kA\Delta T_{3}}{t}\Rightarrow Q \right. = \frac{A\; \Delta \; T}{\frac{1}{h_{1}} + \frac{1}{h_{2}} + \frac{t}{k}}}}}} & (3)\end{matrix}$

where A is the surface area of the heat exchanger, t is the wallthickness, k is the thermal conductivity of the material, hi and h2 arethe heat transfer coefficients of either fluid, and Q is the heattransfer.

Power plants and other implementations are similarly limited by heatexchanger ΔT via the Carnot efficiency

$\begin{matrix}{\eta = \frac{T_{h} - \left( {T_{c} + {\Delta \; T}} \right)}{T_{h}}} & (3)\end{matrix}$

In various embodiments, laminar flow heat transfer and flow losses areapproximated by

$\begin{matrix}{Q = {{\frac{N\; u\; k\; A\; \Delta \; T}{d}\mspace{14mu} P_{fan}} = \frac{8\; A\; \mu \; v^{2}}{d}}} & (4)\end{matrix}$

where Nu is the Nusselt number, d is the effective tube diameter,P_(fan) is the required fan power, μ is the viscosity, and v is thefluid velocity.

The heat transfer rate in a heat exchanger can be directly proportionalto the surface area in the heat exchanger. Increasing the surface areacan increase the overall heat transfer, thereby increasing performance.This can be impractical with conventional heavy metallic heatexchangers. Additionally, conventional metallic heat exchangers becomefragile and corrosion sensitive at small thicknesses.

Metallic fin-and-tube heat exchangers, similar to automotive radiators,are the current standard for conventional heat exchangers. Most metalshave high densities and become fragile and corrosion sensitive at thinfilm thicknesses. Thus, metallic heat exchangers are heavier and moreexpensive than otherwise required for a given operating pressure ordesired heat transfer rate and typically rely on high-power fans whichreduce efficiency.

In view of the foregoing, a need exists for improved membrane heatexchanger systems and methods in an effort to overcome theaforementioned obstacles and deficiencies of conventional systems.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top view of a heat exchanger in a flat configuration inaccordance with one embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the heat exchanger of FIG. 1 inflatedwith fluid, which causes the heat exchanger to assume a helicalconfiguration.

FIGS. 3a and 3b illustrate a further embodiment of a membrane heatexchanger in a flat configuration and FIG. 3c illustrates the membraneheat exchanger of FIGS. 3a and 3b in an expanded configuration.

FIGS. 4a and 4b illustrate a further embodiment of a membrane heatexchanger in a flat configuration and FIG. 4c illustrates the membraneheat exchanger of FIGS. 4a and 4b in an expanded configuration.

FIGS. 5a and 5b illustrate yet another embodiment of a membrane heatexchanger.

FIGS. 6a and 6b illustrate still further embodiments of a membrane heatexchanger.

FIG. 7a illustrates an example embodiment of a printer configured forroll-to-roll printing of fluidic chambers.

FIG. 7b illustrates an embodiment of a full roll laser welder.

FIG. 7c illustrates an embodiment of a processing unit and finalassembly table.

FIGS. 8a and 8b illustrate a welding apparatus in accordance with oneembodiment that includes a welding head that is configured to weld seamsin an adjoining pair of sheets.

FIG. 9a illustrates a duct that has a cylindrical body extending betweena first and second end with the body defining a duct cavity.

FIG. 9b illustrates the heat exchanger of FIGS. 1 and 2 inserted intothe cavity of the duct of FIG. 9a at the first end while the heatexchanger is in a flat configuration.

FIG. 9c illustrates the heat exchanger of FIG. 9b inflated with fluid togenerate a spiral or helical configuration in the heat exchanger.

FIG. 10a illustrates a heat exchanger of another embodiment in acollapsed configuration.

FIG. 10b illustrates the heat exchanger of FIG. 10a in an expandedconfiguration where manifolds expand in response to fluid beingintroduced into the cavity of the heat exchanger with the fluid enteringthe cavity at a first port and flowing through a plurality of expandablechannels.

It should be noted that the figures are not drawn to scale and thatelements of similar structures or functions are generally represented bylike reference numerals for illustrative purposes throughout thefigures. It also should be noted that the figures are only intended tofacilitate the description of the preferred embodiments. The figures donot illustrate every aspect of the described embodiments and do notlimit the scope of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Conventional fin-and-tube heat exchangers such as car radiators arehighly constrained in geometric layout and do not fit well into confinedvolumes of arbitrary shape. In comparison, example novel polymeric heatexchangers as discussed below, which use high surface area fluid filledvolumes without fins, can be arrayed in complex geometries and used tofill near arbitrary shapes. For example, complex duct work can beexpanded to fill available space and have integrated heat exchangersthat take advantage of this flow volume. Such a system can be desirablefor performing various functions within one integrated module ofsomewhat arbitrary shape between inlets and outlets, including thefunctions of ducting air and transferring heat.

In various embodiments, a heat exchanger can comprise two thin flexiblepolymer films and the physical size and shape of the heat exchanger canbe at least partially determined by inflation of the heat exchanger. Forexample, an interior tube or channel or passage of a heat exchanger canbe pressurized in comparison to an exterior of the heat exchanger.Additionally, in various embodiments, the size and/or shape of a heatexchanger can be at least partially constrained by the physical space inwhich the heat exchanger is located. By constructing the heat exchangerin a way where the inflated heat exchanger arrives at a new physicalgeometry, heat exchangers can be made that have different operatingsizes and shapes than their manufactured sizes and shapes and/or theirinstalled sizes and shapes, and can be made to conform to theirsurroundings.

Various embodiments can enable the more effective use of available spacein systems that are space or volume constrained. For example, with rigidheat exchanger technology, it can be difficult to assemble or install aheat exchanger that fits into non-rectilinear spaces. With conformalheat exchangers, a design can be made that is first inserted into a longor winding duct, and is then inflated with fluid to fill the duct spacein a way that is quicker or easier than making a custom arbitrary shapefor a rigid heat exchanger and then constructing a duct around it. Thisability is not limited to ducts, and conformal heat exchangers can beconfigured to assume any suitable arbitrary, non-duct shapes.

Turning to FIGS. 1 and 2, a first embodiment 100A of a membrane heatexchanger 100 is shown as comprising an elongated planar body 105 thatincludes a chamber 110 defined by a pair of coupled sheets 115, with thechamber 110 extending along the length of the body 105. The body 105extends along an axis X, with the heat exchanger 100 of this example100A having symmetry about axis X and about perpendicular axis Y.

The chamber 110 is further defined by a pair of ends 111 that defineports 120 that are respective openings to the chamber 110. As discussedherein, the ports 120 can be used to allow fluid to enter and/or exitthe chamber. The pair of sheets 115 that define the chamber 110 arecoupled peripherally via seams 125 that define a peripheral edge 130that forms the enclosed chamber 110. Additionally, the opposing sheets115 can be further coupled via one or more seams 120 that define one ormore internal coupling 135.

For example, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the internal couplings 135 cancomprise circular seams 120 of various sizes that couple the sheets 115.The internal couplings 135 can be disposed in columns that extendparallel to axis X, with columns of internal couplings 135 becomingincreasingly smaller from the peripheral edge 130 toward central axis X.A portion of the internal couplings 135 can be disposed in a couplingarc 140 about the respective ends 111 that define the ports 120. Forexample, the internal couplings 135 of a coupling arc 140 can bedisposed in an arc about the ports 120 at a common radial distance fromthe ports 120, which can correspond to a radial distance from a portionof the peripheral edge 130 and the ports 120.

Additionally, a spine 145 can be disposed along the sides of the heatexchanger 100, which in some examples can be a portion of the cavity 110defined by elongated tubes or ducts, and such spines 145 can createlinear regions of limited contraction in at least one direction, whichcan be desirable for supporting the heat exchanger 100 and/orcontrolling the shape of the heat exchanger when inflated and/ordeflated.

In various embodiments, a heat exchanger 100 can be configured to changesize and/or shape in response to fluid being present within the cavity110 of the heat exchanger 100. For example, FIG. 2 illustrates theexample heat exchanger 100A of FIG. 1 in a helical configuration as aresult of fluid being disposed within the cavity. In variousembodiments, the heat exchanger 100 assuming the helical configurationcan be as a result of a difference in contraction between the peripheraledges 130 compared to central portions of the heat exchanger 100 thatcan result when fluid is present within the cavity 110.

In addition to the example embodiment 100A of FIGS. 1 and 2, furtherembodiments of a membrane heat exchanger 100 can be defined by first andsecond thin-film polymer membrane sheets 115 that are stacked andcoupled together to define a chamber 110 having at least a first andsecond end 111. For example, FIGS. 3a-c and 4a-c illustrate two furtherexample embodiments 100B, 100C of such a membrane heat exchanger 100.

Turning to FIGS. 3a and 3b , top and perspective views of the membraneheat exchanger 100B are illustrated in a flat configuration, with thechamber 110 being defined at least by a seam 125, which joins a pair ofsheets 115. The planar portions of the membrane heat exchanger 100between the chamber 110 can be defined by a planar coupling 302 betweena pair of sheets 115. FIG. 3c illustrates an example of the membraneheat exchanger 100B in an expanded configuration, wherein the chamber110 is expanded by fluid filling the chamber 110. In this example, thesheet(s) 115 are shown deforming due to the chamber 110 being filledwith fluid.

FIGS. 4a-c illustrate a further example embodiment 100C of a membraneheat exchanger 100 that can be defined by a pair of sheets 115, coupledtogether by a planar coupling 302 and/or seam 125. In this example, thechamber 110 rectangularly coils from a peripheral portion of themembrane heat exchanger 100B to a central portion of the membrane heatexchanger 100 with the ends 111 of the chamber 110 being respectivelydisposed at the peripheral and central portions.

Although specific embodiments of membrane heat exchangers 100 andchambers 110 are discussed above, further embodiments can have chambers110 of any suitable size, shape and configuration and the presentexamples should not be construed to be limiting on the wide variety ofconfigurations of membrane heat exchangers 100 that are within the scopeand spirit of the present disclosure. For example, FIGS. 5a and 5billustrate an example of a pillow-plate heat exchanger 100D inaccordance with an embodiment, which includes a planar body 105 thatcomprises a chamber 110 defined at least in part by a plurality ofdimples 510 and a bifurcating seam 520 that couples opposing sheets 115.

Additionally, while various embodiments described herein illustrate amembrane heat exchanger 100 having a heat exchanger body 105 thatdefines a single chamber 110 with a pair of ends 111, in furtherembodiments, a heat exchanger body 105 can define a plurality ofchambers 110. For example, FIGS. 6a and 6b illustrate exampleembodiments 100E, 100F of a membrane heat exchanger 100 that comprisesfive and nine chambers 110 respectively. In these example embodiments100E, 100F a plurality of nested chambers 110 are illustrated in aswitchback configuration 112 with respective ends 111 of the chambers110 terminating at respective ports 120 disposed on opposing corners ofthe heat exchanger body 105. As discussed herein, the chambers 110 canbe defined by seams 125 and/or planar coupling portions 302 that couplea pair of opposing sheets 115.

Accordingly, various embodiments of a membrane heat exchanger 100 cancomprise of a plurality of small and thin-walled chambers 110 instead ofheavy, metal tubes with soldered-on fins as in conventional heatexchanger systems. Thus, various embodiments of a membrane heatexchanger can be configured to decrease AT while keeping Q constant byincreasing the surface area A, which can be achieved (without increasesto mass and cost) by a small thickness t.

By Equation 2, low thermal conductivity materials can be used in someembodiments of heat exchangers 100 by using a small thickness t. Basedon hoop stress, the wall thickness required to hold a given pressure canbe:

t=(Pressure·Tube radius)/Material stress   (5)

In various embodiments, chambers 110 of a small radius can generatelighter and cheaper membrane heat exchanger 100 with better thermalconduction compared to conventional heat exchangers. For example, invarious embodiments, four times as many chambers 110 of half thediameter doubles heat transfer for the same system mass/cost. Diametersof chambers 110 in the 1-10 mm range can be provided in accordance withsome embodiments, with surface heat transfer coefficients h of around50-100 W/(m²K) for air, and 5,000-10,000 W/(m²K) for flowing water andthe condensing and evaporating of water.

Membrane heat exchangers 100 can comprise various suitable materials,including polymers, and the like. For example, some embodiments cancomprise polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene, polypropylene,fluoropolymers, polyimides, polyamides, and the like. In one preferredembodiment, Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) films can be used, which insome implementations can have strengths as high as 200 MPa or more andthermal conductivities k in the 0.15-0.4 W/(mK) range, depending onadditives. From Equation 5, in some embodiments, a desired wallthickness is t=0.005mm for a safe working stress of 30 MPa, tubediameter of 3 mm, and an operating pressure of 0.1 MPa (oneatmosphere)(other suitable thicknesses can be employed in furtherembodiments). Thus k/t≈30,000-80,000 W/(m²K), is higher than the abovesurface heat transfer coefficients h, so by Equation 2 the relativelylow thermal conductivity of a thin PET film is not a limiting factor forperformance in various embodiments.

Accordingly, embodiments that employ thin film polymer membranes canenable a substantial increase in surface area and heat exchangerperformance. In other words, while polymers can have lower thermalconductivities k than metal, their thickness can be made small enoughthat t/k is small relative to 1/h₁ and 1/h₂.

As discussed herein, the heat transfer rate in a membrane heat exchanger100 can be directly proportional to the surface area of the membraneheat exchanger 100. Accordingly, increasing the surface area canincrease the overall heat transfer, thereby increasing performance. Invarious embodiments, computer-controlled manufacturing and polymerprocessing can enable the fabrication of membrane heat exchanger 100with thin walls and small masses, enabling increased surface areas whilemaintaining effectiveness of the membrane heat exchanger 100.

Accordingly, various embodiments discussed herein can use thin polymericmembranes for high surface-area membrane heat exchangers 100, loadedwithin appropriate safety factors of the hoop-stress limit. In someembodiments, such a configuration can be enabled via patterned chambers110 which can be generated via laser processing of pairs of sheets asdiscussed herein.

Using computer-controlled manufacturing tools, a number of fabricationoptions are available with thin polymeric membranes, which can beamenable to rapid-prototyping as well as production. Additionally, theresilience of polymeric materials enables their use in variousembodiments even when processed into very thin films—i.e., films thinenough to have negligible impact on the heat transfer rate across them.

For example, the heat transfer rate, Q, across a heat exchanger can beshown to be:

$\begin{matrix}{Q = {{h_{0}A\; \Delta \; T_{LM}} = \frac{A\; \Delta \; T_{LM}}{\frac{1}{h_{w}} + \frac{1}{h_{a}} + \frac{t}{k_{m}}}}} & (1)\end{matrix}$

where h₀ is the overall heat transfer coefficient, A is the surface areaof the heat exchanger, ΔT_(LM) is the logarithmic mean temperaturedifference across the heat exchanger, h_(w) is the heat transfercoefficient of the hot-fluid that is being cooled, h_(a) is the heattransfer coefficient of the cooling air, k_(m) is the thermalconductivity of the membrane barrier wall between the two fluids, and tis the thickness of that barrier.

In some embodiments, increasing the overall heat transfer in a membraneheat exchanger 100 can be brought about by increasing the surface areaof the membrane heat exchanger 100 and/or increasing the overall heattransfer coefficient. In an air-cooled heat membrane heat exchanger 100the overall heat transfer coefficient can be dominated by the heattransfer coefficient of the air and there is little opportunity toincrease the value of h_(o). However, the low density and thin walls ofa membrane heat exchanger 100 can allow the surface area to be greatlyincreased which can improve performance.

Numerically, h_(w)>>h_(a), so for a membrane heat exchanger 100 withliquid on one side and air on the other, the 1/h_(w) term is very smallcompared to 1/h_(a). Metals typically have good thermal conductivity(around 10-400 W/mK), so in conventional heat exchangers the t/k_(m)term can also be ignored compared to 1/h_(a). For many polymers, thermalconductivity may be smaller, (e.g., 0.1-0.4 W/mK) but by providing abarrier less than 1 mm thick, the t/km term is still small compared to1/h_(a), meaning that the polymer wall will not significantly impedeheat transfer through the heat exchanger compared to a metal wall.Therefore, for a given desired rate of heat transfer, ΔT can bedecreased in some embodiments, provided that the surface area can beproportionally increased.

While low thermal conductivity materials can be used in heat membraneheat exchangers 100 if their thickness is very low, the wall thicknesscan specified by the requirement to withstand the pressure forcing fluidthrough the chamber(s) 110 of the membrane heat exchanger 100. Based onhoop stress, the wall thickness required to hold a given pressure is:

$\begin{matrix}{t = \frac{pr}{\sigma}} & (2)\end{matrix}$

where p is the pressure in the tube, r is the radius of the tube, and σis the operating stress.

If we assume an example polymer film thickness of 0.1 mm (4 mil),high-density polyethylene (HDPE) with a maximum stress of 25 MPa and aworking stress of 5 MPa, a 4 mm diameter tube can have a burst pressureof 1.25 MPa (180 psi), and a working pressure of 0.25 MPa (36 psi).Given a high-density polyethylene HDPE density of 970 kg/m³ this polymerfilm would have a mass of 0.097 kg/m². In further embodiments, higherstrength polymers can be used and/or tube diameters can be reduced. Thisindicates that such embodiments of membrane heat exchangers 100 can bemechanically resilient in addition to thermally responsive.

For the air side of the heat exchanger, the heat transfer rate, Q, canconstrain the air mass flow rate, m,

Q=mc _(p) ΔT _(a)   (3)

where c_(p) is the specific heat capacity of air, and ΔT_(a) is thedifference in temperature between the air entering and exiting the heatexchanger. Increasing mass flow across the heat exchanger surface can beaccomplished through increased air velocity, but that brings with itincreased power consumption, which may not be desirable. Assuminglaminar flow, the fans power consumption depends on the square of thelinear velocity of the air,

P=(8Aμv ²)/d   (4)

where v is the air velocity through the heat exchanger, d is theeffective diameter of the air flow passage, μ is the viscosity of thefluid, and A is the surface area of the heat exchanger. Increasing theheat exchanger area can increase the flow resistance and thus the fanpower for a given velocity; however, the air velocity can be reduced byincreasing the cross-sectional area accepting the airflow. Since fanpower can be proportional to the cross sectional area but also to thesquare of velocity, the trade-off of increased area for decreasedvelocity can result in a net reduction in fan power.

At small or large scale, embodiments of membrane heat exchangers 100 canbe made using manufacturing techniques and by optimization of thegeometric design, fluid connections, and pumping controls. By moving tosmall diameter chambers 110 and thin materials, a large number ofparallel linear flow paths can be enabled in various embodiments (e.g.,as illustrated in FIGS. 6a and 6b ). In one example manufacturingprocess, a computer-controlled laser welding process can be used togenerate arrays of chambers 110 from the controlled welding of twoplastic sheets.

Accordingly, various embodiments comprise the use of thin polymers formembrane heat exchanger construction and the manufacture of suchmembrane heat exchangers 100 using computer-controlled plastic weldingsystem. The use of a plurality of narrow chambers 110 made from thinpolymer films in some embodiments can create a barrier between heatedwater and cooling air that is thin enough such that the thermallynon-conductive polymer only minimally impacts the overall heat transfercoefficient. Combined with research in computer-controlled laserwelding, these membrane heat exchangers 100 can be rapidly prototypedand provide for volume production, as well. The use of low cost, lowweight polymers and high-throughput manufacturing enables embodiments ofthe membrane heat exchangers 100 to have larger heat exchange areas forless cost, leading to favorable coefficients of performance.

Various embodiments can comprise computational, physics-basedoptimization tools for polymeric heat exchanger design. For example,some embodiments include software tools for membrane heat exchangerdesign optimization.

Further embodiments include a laser processing manufacturing method thatenables high geometric and three-dimensional complexity fromtwo-dimensional patterns produced rapidly and cost effectively. Someembodiments can provide for large area and continuous fabrication. Stillfurther embodiments can include 20-year heat exchanger lifetimes for theselected materials.

Some embodiments comprise computer-controlled fabrication methods forwelding and cutting polymer films into intricate fluidic networks andstructures, for rapid prototyping and commercial production. Furtherembodiments comprise computational modeling and optimization of fluidicnetworks and membrane patterns to minimize flow restrictions andmaximize thermal transfer.

TABLE 1 Specification of an example 20 kW system. Parameter CalculatedRequired Heat transfer rate Q 23.6 kW 20 kW Pump power 18.1 W Fan power39.0 W Total pump and fan power 57.1 W fan and pump power/ 350.6 >200heat transfer rate Effectiveness ε .65 >.6 Overall heat transfer CoE66.W/m²K Surface area 33.m²

Still further embodiments leverage materials science and chemistry ofpolymer thin films, working with resin and additive manufacturers, todevelop materials with optimized thermal properties, long functionallifetimes, controlled surface chemistry, and robust processability.Accordingly, various embodiments can comprise computationally enabledheat exchanger design and optimization, selection of robust materialsamenable to inexpensive and ultimately high-throughput fabrication, andcareful performance and lifetime testing and characterization. Forexample, computational modeling and optimization can be used to designcooling fluidic networks that optimize air and coolant flow geometriesfor maximal thermal transfer and increased system efficiency.

Creation of three-dimensional networks of chambers 110 from sheets oftwo-dimensional film can be modeled and simulated, including simulatingthe filling or inflation of these networks to get net three-dimensionalgeometry. Such two-dimensional models can be physically produced vialaser film processing utilizing a roll feed CNC laser cutter and welderas discussed in further detail herein (see e.g., FIGS. 20a-c and FIGS.21a-b ). Some embodiments can comprise surface chemistry modificationsto improve weld, lamination, or the like. Additives can be selected forimproved material processing, heat exchanger performance, and the like.

In some embodiments, membrane heat exchangers 100 can comprise a thinmetallic foil. Such metal membrane heat exchangers 100 can beconstructed/welded in a similar manner to the polymer heat exchangersdiscussed herein. Metal heat exchangers can be advantageous forautomatable construction and higher temperature operation.

For determining the design of membrane cooling networks or chambers 110,in some embodiments, a parametric geometry authoring environment can beused, incorporating simulation of the fundamental requirements of thesystem—necessary pumping and fan power, heat transfer performance,material cost, and the like. While these (and other relevant parameterssuch as total internal volume, total bounding volume, etc.) can bedynamic “in the loop” calculations from a given geometry which theauthor can use as a metric for analysis, they can also be specified asdesign inputs, and an integrated constrained optimization can suggestgeometries and properties which optimally satisfy theapplication-specific efficiency and cost targets.

The underlying coolant flow model for this simulation and optimizationlayer can incorporate laminar and/or turbulent incompressible flow. Onthe liquid side, the pumping power and the convective heat transfercoefficient can be determined by employing equations of internal,incompressible flow, for both the laminar and turbulent cases, where, inthe turbulent case, empirical relations can be used for friction factorin determining head loss. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) topologyoptimization methods and genetic algorithms can be built on top of thismodel to produce optimal tube geometries.

One model of the forced-air side of the boundary can be used forinforming high-level geometry and flow configuration decisions withreasonably low latency. In some embodiments, in can be beneficial tohave a more sophisticated high-resolution model for specific concerns,such as fine-tuning optimal spacing between the coolant tubes andlayouts for efficient airflow. Such a model may more accurately quantifylocal liminal heat transfer coefficients, particularly when the airflowis perpendicular or at various angles to the coolant tubes, as well asaccount for the possibility of non-negligible hydrodynamic and thermalentry lengths. Such a model can be run offline, and may not be used atthe integrated optimization stage in some embodiments, and as such couldbe chosen from a range of professional-grade commercially availablecomputational fluid dynamics software.

As illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3 c and 4 c, filling a membrane heatexchanger 100 can change the shape of the body 105 by including theintroduction of local buckling and bending. In various embodiments, suchgeometric contortions can be accounted for and compensated for orplanned for in the design of the membrane heat exchanger 100. Suchsoftware can model net shape membrane structures under filling andenvironmental loading, and can further include more sophisticatedanalysis tools, visualization, and coupling of simulation to real-worldperformance.

Example software for solving the net shape geometry problem ofconstructing and engineering a machine from flexible sheets can includesimulation of an unloaded membrane heat exchanger 100 and a simulatednet shape of the membrane heat exchanger 100. The shrinking along thelong axis caused by filling the tubes with a virtual fluid is apparentas is the buckling of the sheets along the edges as shown in FIGS. 3cand 4c . This modeling can help in the optimization of the design andgenerate a heat exchanger 100 with desirable shape-changing properties.

Additionally, some embodiments of shape modeling can comprise an“inverse” inflation simulation. For example, such modeling can take asinput a target 3D shape, given either by the designer or by anoptimization pass, and produce a rest shape to be manufactured, whichfor given materials and subject to specified forces can as closely aspossible approximate the target shape under load.

Membrane or sheet joining methods can comprise mechanical methods,adhesive methods, welding methods, and the like. Mechanical methods suchas sewing or clamping/interlocking with rigid parts can be desirable insome embodiments because they can be tolerant processes that are stableacross a variety of process parameters. Adhesive bonding can accommodatea wide variety of material combinations and can be carried out at lowtemperatures in some embodiments.

Various example embodiments can use weld spots to constrain inflation ofthe heat exchanger 100 and can use various sizes of weld spots to causethe inflated sheet to take a specific shape. For example, as shown inFIGS. 1 and 2, internal weld spots or couplings 135 can be equallyspaced but can be smaller along the center of the sheet 115. In variousexamples, such a configuration can cause the sheet 115, which can causethe edges to contract less when the heat exchanger 100 is inflated. Sucha configuration can also cause the center (e.g., proximate to axis X) ofthe heat exchanger 100 to contract more when the heat exchanger 100 isinflated. Weld spots or couplings 135 can be larger along both edges ofthe heat exchanger 100.

While the size and spacing of spot welds or other couplings between twosheets 115 can control the contraction of the sheets 115 when inflated,long tubes defined by chamber 110 can create linear regions of limitedcontraction in at least one direction. This can create spines 145 of theinflated geometry (e.g., as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2). Similararchitectural features can also be generated with two-dimensionalinflated regions or two-dimensional welded regions, or with otherarbitrary regions of welds or unwelded areas.

Various embodiments can be configured for ease of manufacturing, wherebythe same manufacturing line or same set of tooling can be used to makevariations of final shapes, sizes, and form factors of heat exchangers100 only by modifying the arrangement and size of weld locations in theheat exchanger constituent films or sheets 115. An example of this is adot weld pattern that can be used to weld two pairs of polymer filmstogether, where the dot welds constrain the inflation of the two polymerfilms 115 when the space between those two polymer films 115 can befilled with a higher pressure fluid than the exterior of the heatexchanger 100. The dots can be modified to be of different sizes,shapes, and locations so that physical inflation creates a variety ofdifferent inflated geometries. The use of dots in various examples(e.g., FIGS. 1 and 2) is only illustrative, and various other types ofweld shapes and patterns can be used to generate different inflationgeometries.

FIGS. 1, 2, 3 a-c, 4 a-c, 5 a and 5 b illustrate various embodiments ofmembrane heat exchangers 100 but should not be construed to limit thewide variety of alternative and/or additional shapes, sizes, andstructures that are within the scope and spirit of the presentdisclosure. For example, complicated inflatable geometries can be addedto the membrane heat exchanger elements so as to provide structuralspacing between adjacent elements. In some embodiments, bubbles can becreated within the membrane elements that periodically connect withadjacent heat exchanger elements so as to maintain a given air gapbetween heat exchanger elements. In some embodiments, an inflatedstructure of the heat exchanger elements can be used to add stiffness tothe heat exchanger elements and thereby reduce the need for externalstructural support.

Additionally, the example embodiments of membrane heat exchangers 100can be combined in various suitable ways. For example, any givenembodiment can suitably incorporate elements of one or more otherembodiments and/or elements of a given embodiment can be absent.Accordingly, the present examples should be construed as illustratingvarious elements of heat exchangers 100 that can be suitably combined togenerate further embodiments of heat exchangers 100 having suitableproperties, shape changing characteristics, shapes, sizes,configurations and the like.

Membrane heat exchangers 100 can be fabricated in various suitable ways.For example, FIG. 7a illustrates an example embodiment of a printer 700configured for roll-to-roll “printing” of fluidic chambers 110 andsurface features on an adjoining pair of sheets 710, with the fluidicchambers 110 being at least defined by printed seams 125 as discussedherein. FIG. 7b illustrates an embodiment of a full roll laser welder701 and FIG. 7c illustrates an embodiment of a processing unit and finalassembly table 702.

Coupling of sheets 115 to generate seams 125 and/or planar coupledportions 302 of a membrane heat exchanger 100 can be done in varioussuitable ways as discussed herein including welding. FIGS. 8a and 8billustrate a welding apparatus 800 in accordance with one embodimentthat includes a welding head 805 this is configured to weld seams 125 inan adjoining pair of sheets 710, which are rolled over a welding table810. As illustrated in FIG. 8b , a first and second sheet 116A, 116B canbe disposed on the welding table 810 with a gap 117 therebetween. Thefirst and second sheet 116A, 116B can be pressed together via apressurized stream of gas 806 from the welding head 805 and a laser 807can weld the first and second sheet 116A, 116B at a seam 125 and/orplanar 302 coupling joint. For example, in plastic welding, twothermoplastic material interfaces 116A, 116B can be brought into directcontact and heated above their melting temperature via the laser 807.Compatible materials can then interlock at a molecular level resultingin a continuous matrix of polymer chains, which generates a seam 125and/or planar 302 coupling joint.

One challenge in some welding applications can be transferring heat tothe joint interface at the weld location without degrading the integrityof the surrounding material. For thick-sectioned parts where it can bedifficult to transfer heat from the outside accessible surface of thepart stack, various suitable methods can be used to generate a weld. Forexample, one method, called hot plate welding, comprises heating thejoint surfaces with the parts separated and then bringing the parts incontact while the joint surfaces remain above the material melttemperature.

Ultrasonic and radio frequency (RF) welding can be used in someembodiments and can comprise transferring vibrations to the jointinterface through the accessible outside parts surfaces and directingthese vibrations to targeted areas where the weld is required using whatare known as energy directors.

Transmissive laser welding can also be used in some embodiments. Forexample, the energy in a laser beam can be turned into heat when itinteracts with a material that is opaque to the wavelength being used.In order to target the heat generated to material interface, in variousembodiments, one of the parts must be transparent to the laserwavelength such that the laser beam passes through it and generates heatat the joint interface when it hits the second, opaque material.

Inductive welding can also be used in some embodiments, where aninterposing material that heats up in presence of an electromagneticfield is placed at the bond interface and then activated with such afield.

A hot air jet can also be used for welding sheets together in variousembodiments. Such a method can serve to both heat and press themembranes together. In various embodiments, the weld-affected zone canfurther be managed by use of cold air jets. Alternatively and/or inaddition, hot fluid jets can be used for welding. With close activesurface following, it is possible to get high effective clampingpressures in a similar manner to a static air or hydraulic bearing.

In further embodiments, membrane heat exchanger elements can bethermal/ultrasonic/radio frequency welded and blanked in one process viaa stamping type operation with a single tool of the desired shape. Thiscan enable high speed and low cost manufacture of heat exchangerelements.

For welding a pair of sheets 115, the volume, gap or chamber 110 betweenthe sheets 115 can be actively evacuated, providing a clamping force,which can be atmospheric pressure or the like. For large surface areamembrane heat exchangers 100, cumulative weld length can be high in someembodiments. Accordingly, some embodiments can employ redundant welds,that is, multiple welds side-by-side, to reduce sensitivity toindividual weld defects.

Various suitable welding techniques can be used, in more elaborateforms, to assemble multiple polymer film heat exchanger elementstogether with integral plumbing pathways. Fluid inlet and outletfittings and hoses, and the like, can be similarly attached to theassembled heat exchanger elements via suitable welding or couplingmethods.

In some embodiments, thin film plastic welding shares many of the samechallenges as thick section plastic welding but can have one or moremitigating factors by nature of the thin section geometry. While it canbe unfeasible to have direct heat transfer to the accessible surface ofa thick section part in some embodiments, in thin film welding, thethickness of the material can be such that this is possible because thethrough-thickness size of the heat affected zone of the weld is similarto that of the whole material.

This fact can enable further suitable methods to be used in someembodiments, including direct thermal welding and direct laser welding.In direct thermal welding, two compatible films can be clamped between ahot tool and anvil such that heat is transferred to the joint, meltingthe interface and creating a bond. In direct laser welding a laser beamcan strike two compatible materials and heat the whole joint thickness.

One example implementation includes a direct laser welding process.Here, two layers of LDPE film can be welded together using a CO₂ laserbeam. This process was prototyped using a multi-purpose CNC lasercutter. The laser beam was defocused such that a weld of desired width(˜1-2 mm) was created between the two film layers. A reflective aluminumlayer was placed under the films to make the materials absorb a greaterportion of the incident laser beam and the stream of high pressureassist gas used in many laser cutting processes was leveraged to providea clamping force between the films while the laser energy is delivered.This particular application included parts larger than the bed of theCNC laser available so a reel-to-reel fixture was implemented that fitwith the laser cutter such that continuous patterns up to 50 feet longwere created.

Another embodiment can comprise a piece of manufacturing equipment forlaser welding and cutting of polymer films. This example machinedirectly receives 8 feet long rolls of two-ply films, and uses a 70 WCO₂ laser carried on a 4′×8′ CNC gantry to weld the layers together inan appropriate pattern.

In some embodiments, because the laser beam spot size required forwelding is an order of magnitude greater than that needed for cutting, adedicated optics system can be implemented that welds at the laser beamfocus position and has low beam divergence which means that the positionof the laser beam focus relative to the material position in the out ofplane direction (z-axis), can be tolerant to positioning errors. Thiscan reduce the alignment and precision requirements of the CNC structurewhich has a percolating effect on the cost and complexity of themachine.

Also, because of the lower power needed for welding as opposed tocutting in some embodiments, such embodiments can utilize a lower-costair cooled laser that can be directly mounted to the CNC gantry asopposed to flying optic systems with a stationary laser source usuallyused in conventional laser cutters. Additionally, the reel-to-reelmaterial handling functionality required to process films sourced onlarge rolls can be built into the machine which enables an automatedsystem that can run precisely with minimum user interaction.

Such a system can also be configured to accept various pieces ofinspection equipment that can be beneficial for performanceapplications. A machine vision system and/or laser displacement sensorcan be used to verify the position and/or characteristics of theresulting weld.

Any suitable material can be welded using direct-laser welding. For heatexchanger applications, it can be desirable to select a material thatcan withstand relatively high operating temperatures and environmentalexposure while retaining its resistance to puncture and bulk failuremodes such as creep under hoop stress. The development of suitablematerial/process combinations in conjunction with a design that limitsthe stress induced within the resulting heat exchanger can give asolution that is low cost and high performance.

A wide variety of additives can be used to tune a material's specificperformance, in addition to various lamination, weaving, andmulti-material composite approaches that can be utilized to improve thebulk performance of a given film. Accordingly, although direct laserwelding using a CO₂ laser source can be desirable in some embodiments,alternate welding methods can be desirable in other embodiments.

As discussed above, transmissive laser welding, ultrasonic/RF welding,and the like can provide advantages by virtue of the ability to generateheat at the weld interface. This can allow for film composites withwoven or thermoset functional layers and thin thermoplastic bondinglayers needed for welding. In various embodiments, transmissive laserwelding can use a fiber laser source with a wavelength of lum as opposedto the 10.6 um wavelength of a CO₂ laser source. Accordingly, furtherembodiments can include an ultrasonic/RF welder capable of processingcontinuous materials in a reel-to-reel format.

The use of two polymer films or sheets 115 to make a heat exchanger 100that is inflatable to arbitrary shapes or that can change shape, asdescribed above, is only an example, and the same functionality in heatexchangers 100 can be achieved with other manufacturing methods infurther examples, including but not limited to extrusion, blow molding,vacuum molding, 3D printing, and the like.

In some embodiments, less compliant heat exchangers made of thin polymerfilms can have one or more of the advantages discussed above. Somemanufacturing methods, including blow molding and vacuum blow molding,can have heat exchanger end products that do not appear to be conformalbut are more or less rigid; however, these manufacturing methods cancreate arbitrary, non-box shapes that can fit into more complex spaces.Also, the flexibility of plastics can allow them to bend or collapsemore easily than metals for installation, even if they are notinflatable, that is if their final operational geometry is not definedby the pressure differential between the interior and exterior fluid.

Strength can be a desirable property for some membrane heat exchangers100, as a stronger material does not need to be as thick, leading tocost savings and slightly improved thermal transfer. In variousembodiments, strong polymers are also the least flexible polymers, andwhile strength is desired, so is flexibility. Flexibility can improvewith thin materials, so in some embodiments, a strong but stiff polymercan be thin enough in one of these heat exchangers to be appropriatelyflexible. Materials selection can involve balancing the strength andflexibility of the material with the interrelated geometric constraints,including thickness, imposed by the heat exchanger design. In variousembodiments, it can be desirable to apply one or more resins to apolymer heat exchanger. Additionally, introduction of additives to apolymer and/or resin can improve lifetime, conductivity, andprocessability, and the like.

In one preferred embodiment, a heat exchanger can comprise polyethyleneterephthalate, (PET, Mylar). In another preferred embodiment, a heatexchanger can comprise high density polyethylene (HDPE), which can beformulated for long lifetimes outdoors. In one embodiment, HDPE can becross-linked to form PEX, which has improved creep properties over othermaterials but otherwise retains the strength and flex properties ofHDPE.

While various polymers can be quite robust, they can be substantiallyweakened by creep, and environmental exposure can further weaken orembrittle materials. UV and abrasive particle exposure are potentiallydetrimental to the heat exchanger, but such exposures can, at least inpart, be dealt with through design. For example, the entire device canpotentially be built in a light-proof enclosure.

Materials for use in a polymer heat exchanger can be further optimizedfor welding and/or to withstand the constant stress that a pressurizedheat exchanger can experience. Polymer creep can be minimized in someembodiments through appropriate resin selection, polymer cross-linkingafter welding, additional material structure such as reinforcing fibers,ribs, or supporting scaffolding or the like.

Fouling can be minimized in some embodiments through the use of saltwater, chlorinated water, or another liquid. The chemical resistance ofmany polymers allows for a range of fluid and additive options. Thechemical resistance of some polymers can allow maintenance procedureswhere the fluid system is flushed to clean out any fouling that hasoccurred.

While fouling can suggest biological growth, precipitation, or corrosionoccurring at an interface with a liquid, it is also possible to haveairborne material foul the surface on the air-side of the heatexchanger. Material deposition and sticking at the heat exchange surfacewith air is likely controlled by the surface chemistry of the polymer,something that can be controlled through both materials selection andprocessing. Additionally, as with the liquid-polymer interface, therobustness of the polymer will allow a number of cleaning options to beexplored if it is determined that fouling of the air-polymer surfacemeaningfully decreases performance.

In various embodiments, a shape changing heat exchanger 100 can bedesirable for application to spaces where application of a conventionalrigid heat exchanger would be impossible or impractical. For example,turning to FIGS. 9a-c a duct 900, it can be desirable to apply a heatexchanger to a duct 900 that has a cylindrical body 901 that extendsbetween a first and second end 902, 903, with the body 901 defining aduct cavity 905.

As shown in FIG. 9b , the heat exchanger 100A shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 canbe inserted into the cavity 905 of duct 900 at the first end 902 whilethe heat exchanger 100 in a flat configuration as shown in FIG. 1. Asshown in FIG. 9c , the heat exchanger 100 can then be inflated withfluid to generate a spiral or helical configuration in the heatexchanger 100. In various embodiments, such a spiral or helicalconfiguration of the heat exchanger 100 can be desirable because it canprovide for improved mixing of fluid in the duct 900, improved fluidflow within the duct 900, improved heat exchange between fluid in theduct 900 and the heat exchanger 900 and the like.

Additionally, while a simple example of a duct is shown in FIGS. 9a-cfurther embodiment can comprise a duct 900 of any suitable size, shapeand length. Also, such a duct 900 can be part of various suitable ductsystems, such as an HVAC system, a vehicle exhaust or cooling system, awater supply or dump line, or the like. Such a duct 900 or duct systemcan be linear or comprise various bends, convolutions, curves, spirals,changes in size, changes in shape or the like, and having a heatexchanger 100 capable of assuming a helical or spiral shapes can allowsuch a heat exchanger to pass through such features in ducts 900 withthe outside of the spiral of the heat exchanger remaining the samelength as if it were a straight tube, meaning that the same genericspiral or helix shape of a conformal heat exchanger 100 can beconfigured to fit into any arbitrary duct path with bends over minimumradius.

In other words, in various embodiments a heat exchanger 100 can adapt tovarious known or unknown shapes and sizes of ducts 900 or duct systemsgiven the conforming nature of the heat exchanger 100. This can bedesirable for allowing a mass produced heat exchanger 100 to be used invarious ducts 900 or duct systems without having to construct aspecialized heat exchanger 100 or each unique shape and size of a givenduct 900 or duct system. In further examples, such a heat exchanger 100can be desirable for temporary use in various ducts 900 or duct systems,with the heat exchanger being capable of being inserted into and used inducts 900 or duct systems of different sizes and shapes.

Additionally, a first fluid in the duct 900 and a flow of a second fluidinside the conformal heat exchanger 100 can result in good heat transferbetween the two fluids that is integrated into the duct space 905,making more efficient use of the total space available for a systemwhich requires heat transfer. In various examples, such a first andsecond fluid can be any suitable fluid, including the first and secondfluid both being a liquid; both the first and second fluid being a gas;the first fluid being a gas and the second fluid being a liquid; and thefirst fluid being a liquid and the second fluid being a gas. The firstand second fluids can be different fluids or the same fluid in someexamples.

Also, in various embodiments, a first fluid in the duct 900 can have aflow, whereas in other embodiments, the first fluid may not have a flowor can have a very low flow rate. In some examples, the heat exchanger100 can be inflated and deflated to change configuration (e.g., betweenflat and spiral) to generate a flow in the first fluid; to generatemixing of the first fluid; or to promote heat exchange between the firstand second fluid.

A flow of the second fluid within the cavity 110 of the heat exchanger100 can be generated via a fluid source that is connected to at leastone end 111 of the heat exchanger 100 such at the second fluid can enterthe cavity 110 of the heat exchanger via a first port 120 and leave theheat exchanger via a second port 120. As shown in the example embodiment100A of FIGS. 1, 2, 9 b and 9 c, the ports 120 can be disposed onopposing sides of the heat exchanger 100A such that the second fluidgenerally travels along axis X of the heat exchanger 100A in from afirst port 120 and out a second port 120 on the opposite end of the heatexchanger 100A.

In some embodiments, the an inlet line from the fluid source can becoupled to a first port 120 and an outlet line can be coupled to secondport 120 or the second port can simply be open. Using the example ofFIGS. 2a -c, such an inlet line can be proximate to and/or enter thefirst end 902 of the duct and the outlet line can exit or be proximateto the second end 903 of the duct 900. In some examples, the second port120 can be open and dump second fluid from the cavity 110 of the heatexchanger 100 into the duct 900. Also, while the examples of FIGS. 9a-cillustrate a first and second end 902, 903 of a duct being terminal endsthat are open, in various embodiments the ends 902, 903 can simply beends of a portion of a duct and need not be terminal ends and may or maynot be open ends.

In further embodiments, where a second end 903 of a duct is not open,accessible or otherwise capable of having an outlet line extend from asecond end of the duct 900, an outlet line can extend back to the firstend 902 of the duct, either as a line that is separate from or integralto heat exchanger 100. In some embodiments, the heat exchanger 100 canbe configured to generate a flow of the second fluid within the cavity110 of the heat exchanger 100 such that the second fluid enters andexits the cavity at the same side of the heat exchanger. For example,FIG. 5a illustrates an example 100D of a heat exchanger where the secondfluid can enter and exit the cavity 100 on the same side of the heatexchanger 100. For example, the ends 111 that define the ports 120 canbe on the same side of the heat exchanger 100. Accordingly, the exampleof FIGS. 9a -c should not be construed to be limiting on the widevariety of configurations of heat exchangers 100 that are within thescope and spirit of the disclosure, which can be configured for usewithin a duct, pipe, cavity or the like.

In various embodiments, an inflatable heat exchanger 100 can beconfigured to be small in terms of volume/size when not inflated withfluid, but can be large when inflated with fluid. This can beaccomplished, for example, by constructing a manifold that iscollapsible (e.g., like an accordion or a bellows), and with sheets thatare configured to lie flat when not inflated. The pressurization of theheat exchanger 100 can then cause the accordion-like manifold to extendout, separating the tubes and/or sheets, thus allowing fluid passagebetween them. Similarly, the flattened tubes or sheets can also inflatein order to allow fluid to pass through the interior of them.

For example, FIGS. 10a and 10b illustrate an example embodiment 100G ofa heat exchanger 100 configured to expand and collapse via one or moremanifold 1010. More specifically, FIG. 10a illustrates the heatexchanger 100G in a collapsed configuration and FIG. 10b illustrates theheat exchanger 100G in an expanded configuration where the manifold 1010expands along an axis Z via bellows 1015 in response to fluid beingintroduced into the cavity 110 of the heat exchanger 100G with the fluidentering the cavity at a first port 120A and flowing through a pluralityof expandable channels 1020 and leaving the cavity 110 via a second port120B as shown by the arrows in the figure. The manifold 1010, includingthe channels 1020 can be defined by a plurality of internal sidewalls1025 and/or one of the sheets 115 on opposing sides of the heatexchanger 100G.

The internal sidewalls 1025 can define a plurality of internal passages1030. For example, the internal passages 1030 can extend through theheat exchanger 100G from opposing sides (e.g., along an axis Y that isperpendicular to axes X and Z). The internal passages 1030 can bedesirable for providing additional surface area for heat transferbetween a first fluid within the cavity 110 of the heat exchanger 100Gand a second fluid surrounding the heat exchanger 100G including thesecond fluid in contact with the sheets 115, the internal sidewalls 1025within the passages 1030, the bellows 1015, and the like. In someembodiments (e.g., as shown in FIGS. 10a and 10b ), the passages 1030can be closed in the collapsed configuration as shown in FIG. 10a andthe passages 1030 can be open in the expanded configuration of FIG. 10b.

Additionally, a first and second conduit 1035A, 1035B can be disposed onopposing sides of the manifold 1010 and can communicate with the ports120 and the channels 1020. For example, fluid can enter the first port120A and flow into the first conduit 1035A and into the channels 1020 ofthe manifold 1010. The fluid can flow through the manifold 1020 and tothe second conduit 1035B, where the fluid can leave the cavity 110 ofthe heat exchanger 100G via the second port 120B.

As shown in FIGS. 10a and 10b , the heat exchanger 100G can beconfigured to expand along axis Z via the bellows 1015 and expandingmanifold 1010. However, while the heat exchanger 100G can be extensiblealong axis Z, in various embodiments, the heat exchanger 100G can beinextensible along other axes such as axis X and/or axis Y, which areperpendicular to each other and to axis Z. Also, various portions of theheat exchanger 100G can be rigid or flexible. For example, in someembodiment, the sheets 115 and/or internal sidewalls 1025 can be rigid.

One example application of such a heat exchanger 100G is a collapsibleair conditioner. For example, in some implementations, a considerablefraction of the total volume of conventional air conditioners is thevolume of heat exchangers that occupies a large static volume or space,which can make conventional air conditioners large and cumbersome.However, if heat exchangers of an air conditioning system are configuredto occupy a small volume when not filled with fluid, the physical sizeof such an air conditioner system can be made smaller for at leasttransportation and installation, and such a system can be configured toinflate to full size during commissioning and operation. Accordingly,the example heat exchanger 100G of FIGS. 10a and 10b , or any other heatexchanger 100 as shown or described herein can be used in a collapsibleheat exchange system such as in an air conditioner.

Further embodiments can enable heat exchangers 100 in spaces that canchange over time or where physical space constraints are not known whenthe heat exchanger 100 is being constructed or configured. For example,a conformal heat exchanger can be made to be a part of an article ofclothing or a piece of fabric used as insulation or a non-rigid physicalcontainer like a bag. To accomplish this, in some embodiments, twosheets 115 of flexible polymer film can be welded together to create aheat exchanger 100 and the heat exchanger 100 can be attached (e.g.,with an adhesive, or other suitable coupling) to the interior surface ofan insulated bag. By pumping temperature-controlled fluid through such aconformal heat exchanger 100, the insulated bag itself can becometemperature controlled and can be used like a refrigerator or freezer.Such a system can have the benefit of performing as an insulated bagthat can be transported with small volume or that only has the minimuminterior volume necessary to hold its contents, which can reduce thevolume that needs to be cooled and thus can reduce the energyrequirements of cooling.

The described embodiments are susceptible to various modifications andalternative forms, and specific examples thereof have been shown by wayof example in the drawings and are herein described in detail. It shouldbe understood, however, that the described embodiments are not to belimited to the particular forms or methods disclosed but, to thecontrary, the present disclosure is to cover all modifications,equivalents, and alternatives.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of making and operating a heatexchanger, the method comprising: constructing an elongated planarmembrane heat exchanger by coupling a first planar polymer sheet to asecond planar polymer sheet at least by a welded seam to form at leastone fluid chamber defined by the first and second planar polymer sheetsand the welded seam and a first and second end that respectivelycommunicate with a first and second port defined by at least one of thefirst and second planar polymer sheets, the membrane heat exchangerconfigured to have a flat configuration when fluid is not present withinthe fluid chamber and configured to have a spiral configuration whenfluid is present within the fluid chamber, the membrane heat exchangercomprising a plurality of internal couplings disposed in columns thatextend parallel to a central axis X of the membrane heat exchanger, withthe internal couplings of respective columns becoming increasinglysmaller from a peripheral edge of the membrane heat exchanger toward thecentral axis X and the membrane heat exchanger having symmetry about thecentral axis X; inserting the elongated planar membrane heat exchangerinto a duct chamber of a duct at a first end of the duct so that theelongated planar membrane heat exchanger extends from the first end ofthe duct to a second end of the duct, the first end of the membrane heatexchanger disposed at the first end of the duct and the second end ofthe membrane heat exchanger disposed at the second end of the duct, themembrane heat exchanger being inserted while the membrane heat exchangeris in the flat configuration; introducing a first fluid into the fluidchamber of the membrane heat exchanger to change the membrane heatexchanger from the flat configuration to the spiral configuration whilethe membrane heat exchanger is disposed within the duct chamber; andgenerating a fluid flow of the first fluid within the fluid chamber ofthe membrane heat exchanger between the first and second ends of themembrane heat exchanger, the first fluid generating heat exchange with asecond fluid disposed within the duct chamber, the fluid flow includingthe first fluid entering the fluid chamber of the membrane heatexchanger at the first end of the membrane heat exchanger having a firsttemperature, and the first fluid leaving the fluid chamber of themembrane heat exchanger at the second end of the membrane heat exchangerhaving a second temperature that is different from the firsttemperature.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first fluid withinthe fluid chamber of the membrane heat exchanger is a liquid and thesecond fluid within the duct chamber is a gas.
 3. The method of claim 1,wherein the first temperature is lower than the second temperature andthe heat exchange between the first and second fluid results in coolingof the second fluid within the duct chamber.
 4. A method of making andoperating a heat exchanger, the method comprising: inserting anelongated membrane heat exchanger into a chamber at a first end so thatthe elongated membrane heat exchanger extends from the first end to asecond end of the chamber, the elongated membrane heat exchangercomprising a first and second sheet that form at least one fluid chamberdefined by the first and second sheet and a first and second end thatrespectively communicate with a first and second port defined by atleast one of the first and second sheet, the first end of the membraneheat exchanger disposed at the first end of the chamber and the secondend of the membrane heat exchanger disposed at the second end of thechamber; introducing a first fluid into the fluid chamber of themembrane heat exchanger to change the membrane heat exchanger from aflat configuration to a spiral configuration while the membrane heatexchanger is disposed within the chamber; and generating a fluid flow ofthe first fluid within the fluid chamber of the membrane heat exchangerbetween the first and second ends of the membrane heat exchanger, thefirst fluid generating heat exchange with a second fluid disposed withinthe chamber.
 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the chamber is defined byone or more of a duct, pipe and tube.
 6. The method of claim 4, whereinthe chamber defines a plurality of one or more of bends, convolutions,curves, spirals, changes in size and changes in shape.
 7. The method ofclaim 4, wherein the chamber is long and winding.
 8. The method of claim4, wherein the chamber is defined by one or more of an HVAC system, avehicle exhaust system, a vehicle cooling system, a liquid supply line,and a liquid dump line.
 9. The method of claim 4, wherein the fluid flowincludes the first fluid entering the fluid chamber of the membrane heatexchanger at the first end of the membrane heat exchanger having a firsttemperature and the first fluid leaving the fluid chamber of themembrane heat exchanger at the second end of the membrane heat exchangerhaving a second temperature that is different from the firsttemperature.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first temperature islower than the second temperature and the heat exchange between thefirst and second fluid results in cooling of the second fluid within thechamber.
 11. The method of claim 4, wherein the membrane heat exchangeris configured to have the flat configuration when fluid is not presentwithin the fluid chamber and configured to have the spiral configurationwhen fluid is present within the fluid chamber.
 12. The method of claim4, wherein the membrane heat exchanger has symmetry about a central axisX.
 13. The method of claim 4, wherein the first fluid within the fluidchamber of the membrane heat exchanger is a liquid and the second fluidwithin the chamber is a gas.
 14. A method of making and operating a heatexchanger, the method comprising: introducing a first fluid into a fluidchamber of a membrane heat exchanger to change the membrane heatexchanger from a flat configuration to a non-flat configuration whilethe membrane heat exchanger is disposed within a chamber with themembrane heat exchanger extending from a first end to a second end ofthe chamber, the membrane heat exchanger comprising a first and secondsheet that form at least one fluid chamber defined by the first andsecond sheet and a first and second end that respectively communicatewith a first and second port defined by at least one of the first andsecond sheet, the first end of the membrane heat exchanger disposed atthe first end of the chamber and the second end of the membrane heatexchanger disposed at the second end of the chamber; and generating afluid flow of the first fluid within the fluid chamber of the membraneheat exchanger between the first and second ends of the membrane heatexchanger, the first fluid generating heat exchange with a second fluiddisposed within the chamber.
 15. The method of claim 14, wherein thechamber is defined by one or more of a duct, pipe and tube.
 16. Themethod of claim 14, wherein the chamber defines a plurality of one ormore of bends, convolutions, curves, spirals, changes in size andchanges in shape.
 17. The method of claim 14, wherein the chamber islong and winding.
 18. The method of claim 14, wherein the non-flatconfiguration includes one or more of a spiral, helical and curvedconfiguration.
 19. The method of claim 14, wherein the first end and thesecond end of the chamber are terminal ends of the chamber.
 20. Themethod of claim 14, wherein the chamber is defined by one or more of anHVAC system, a vehicle exhaust system, a vehicle cooling system, aliquid supply line, and a liquid dump line.